Candyman is one of my all-time favorite horror movies, and it seems to me that it is often underappreciated and misunderstood. It is a rarity in its genre, for it goes deeper than the standard formula horror movie, presenting a story under a story. While it contains plenty of frightening shocks and gore, that is only the suurface level, and the focus for watching it the first time. After the first time, pay careful attention to the dialogue and the interactions between Helen and the Candyman. The Candyman is not what he first appears to be.
<SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON...STOP HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!>
The biggest complaints I usually hear about this movie are of plot holes. People often ask, "Why does the Candyman haunt the black population instead of the descendents of those who killed him?" or, "Why does the hook make Helen come back when it is not what made Candyman come back?" or other similar questions. These are valid questions about the ghost story concerning Daniel Robetei, but they entirely miss the point of the movie. That point is that the incarnation we see of Candyman in the movie is NOT the ghost of Daniel Robetei. Forget what the pointless sequels lead you to believe, for in the first movie, as well as the original story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, the Candyman is an incarnation of the faith of those who tell stories about him. There is no ghost of Daniel Robetei, but rather an entity that is formed by rumor, faith, fear, and the story itself. It seems to me that almost everyone misses this point, but it is there, clear as day, if you listen closely to the dialogue. Of course, reading the original story helps shed a little light on this as well, and it can be found in Clive Barker's "In the Flesh," a collection of short stories. So, Candyman haunts the black population because they are the ones who tell the stories and believe in him. He is constantly asking Helen to "be his witness" in order to strengthen their belief, and his offer to her to live forever is literal. If she does become his witness, she will become a part of the story, and a part of the creative force that allows Candyman to exist. In the end, Helen returns because the population of Cabrini Green makes her a part of the story.
I hope this sheds a little light on the story for those of you stuck on the plot holes. This really is a fantastic, original story that is much more complex than that of any other horror movie I have seen. Not to mention that the performances are fantastic. Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen have a fantastic chemistry that is very convincing. The only gripe I have about this movie is the p***-poor actress they picked for Helen's husband's girlfriend. So, watch it first for the shocks, but watch it again for the deeper story buried within.
Definately a perfect 10/10.
<SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON...STOP HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!>
The biggest complaints I usually hear about this movie are of plot holes. People often ask, "Why does the Candyman haunt the black population instead of the descendents of those who killed him?" or, "Why does the hook make Helen come back when it is not what made Candyman come back?" or other similar questions. These are valid questions about the ghost story concerning Daniel Robetei, but they entirely miss the point of the movie. That point is that the incarnation we see of Candyman in the movie is NOT the ghost of Daniel Robetei. Forget what the pointless sequels lead you to believe, for in the first movie, as well as the original story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, the Candyman is an incarnation of the faith of those who tell stories about him. There is no ghost of Daniel Robetei, but rather an entity that is formed by rumor, faith, fear, and the story itself. It seems to me that almost everyone misses this point, but it is there, clear as day, if you listen closely to the dialogue. Of course, reading the original story helps shed a little light on this as well, and it can be found in Clive Barker's "In the Flesh," a collection of short stories. So, Candyman haunts the black population because they are the ones who tell the stories and believe in him. He is constantly asking Helen to "be his witness" in order to strengthen their belief, and his offer to her to live forever is literal. If she does become his witness, she will become a part of the story, and a part of the creative force that allows Candyman to exist. In the end, Helen returns because the population of Cabrini Green makes her a part of the story.
I hope this sheds a little light on the story for those of you stuck on the plot holes. This really is a fantastic, original story that is much more complex than that of any other horror movie I have seen. Not to mention that the performances are fantastic. Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen have a fantastic chemistry that is very convincing. The only gripe I have about this movie is the p***-poor actress they picked for Helen's husband's girlfriend. So, watch it first for the shocks, but watch it again for the deeper story buried within.
Definately a perfect 10/10.